1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to rescue apparatus and relates specifically to a portable bulletproof apparatus which may be used to retrieve injured or wounded people who are in an exposed position and under fire.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Heretofore during wars, insurrections, riots and police actions of various kinds which involved small arms fire, people often were injured or wounded while in an exposed position and it has not been possible to rescue or retrieve these people without exposing other people to such fire who might become casualties themselves. In the distant past soldiers and other warriors carried shields for personal protection and these shields have been upgraded as disclosed in the patent to Davey U.S. Pat. No. 2,316,055, so that riot squads or other units of police departments may be equipped with shields as protection against hurled missiles such as rocks and the like. However, these shields ordinarily have not been effective against small arms fire since they have not been sufficiently strong or dense to prevent penetration of a bullet.
Some efforts have been made to provide portable shields having gun ports and the like which could be used to provide an offensive or defensive stronghold that could accommodate several people and protect such people from gunfire at least from a frontal direction. Some examples of this type of structure are the patents to Wells U.S. Pat. No. 660,478; Heide U.S. Pat. No. 1,257,484; Poniatowski U.S. Pat. No. 1,267,588; Lovas U.S. Pat. No. 1,290,606; and Pietruszkiewicz U.S. Pat. No. 1,297,904.
Additionally the patent to Hahre U.S. Pat. No. 1,261,518 discloses a movable shield having provision for a removably mounted litter which could be used for supporting injured or wounded people or could be used for various other purposes such as supporting the ammunition or rifles of the occupants.